שמות, פרק כ״ו, פסוק י׳

The construction of the Tabernacle required joining two massive sets of curtains to form its tent. Like the inner layers of the sanctuary, these outer panels were linked temporarily using a system of loops sewn along their edges. Each set featured fifty loops, totaling one hundred. While this matches the exact number of loops used for the inner curtains, the physical connection point of this outer layer did not sit directly above the inner seam. Instead, the outer joint was shifted two cubits toward the west [אבן עזרא]. The repetition of the number fifty is stated matter-of-factly, without extra emphasis, since the quantity was already highlighted in earlier instructions [קאסוטו].

A noticeable detail about these loops is what is left unsaid regarding their material. Earlier instructions for the inner curtains explicitly required loops made of blue wool. Because no such material is mentioned for this outer tent layer, the loops were simply made from the same material as the curtains themselves, which consisted of goat hair [ביאור יש״ר, קאסוטו].

The way the edges of these curtains are defined reveals a deeper spiritual geography of the sanctuary. The first curtain's edge is described as an absolute boundary, signifying more than just a physical end point. It corresponds to the curtain's position directly over the Holy of Holies, an area of supreme holiness. The edge of the second set of curtains lacks this strict boundary designation, reflecting the fact that it extended further away from the most sacred space and did not share the same intense level of holiness [העמק דבר].